On August 19 (local time) in Cologne, Germany, at the devcom Developer Conference 2025, GSC Game World revealed the dramatic behind-the-scenes story of developing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. CEO Ievgen Grygorovych and executive producer Mariia Grygorovych delivered a session titled “160 GB of Resistance,” recounting how they managed to complete the project despite the pandemic, the outbreak of war in Ukraine, and even a full relocation of the studio.

During the talk, Mariia Grygorovych became visibly emotional while recalling the most difficult periods of the past few years, moving the audience to applaud in solidarity.

A Philosophy of Survival in a Hostile World

The team explained that the core philosophy of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series is not about triumph but about enduring. They emphasized that the series is built on the notion of being a fragile human in a world that cannot be “defeated,” where the true experience lies in learning to embrace the struggle for survival itself.

Ievgen Grygorovych described the gameplay loop as being akin to an expedition: players leave a safe base after setting goals and equipping themselves, venture into dangerous unknowns, face unpredictable challenges, and finally attempt the treacherous return journey with dwindling resources. Relief only comes when safely back at base—a rhythm that defines the game’s structure.

A Story Written Eleven Times Over

The storyline of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was reworked ten times before the eleventh draft became the final foundation. Over the course of this process, GSC grew from a modest 20-person studio into a production powerhouse with more than 500 staff.

But the defining ordeal came with the war in Ukraine. Anticipating the danger, the studio had prepared buses and emergency supplies in advance. When conflict erupted, they evacuated hundreds of employees and their families to western Ukraine and Hungary, later reestablishing the company in Prague, Czech Republic, to resume development.

Although many outsiders doubted the feasibility of continuing, the team maintained that they succeeded because no one within GSC ever allowed the word “impossible” to take hold.

On the technical side, adopting Unreal Engine 5 forced the studio into uncharted territory. Optimizing for consoles was particularly punishing: implementing a massive open world on a system constrained by just 8.5 GB of shared memory required intensive collaboration, with crucial support coming from Epic Games and the Xbox team.

Embedding Ukraine in the Game

GSC highlighted how deeply they sought to weave Ukrainian culture and identity into the experience. In-game mosaics draw inspiration from real Ukrainian artworks, local voice actors recorded dialogue, and over 400 tracks from Ukrainian indie bands were integrated into the soundtrack.

They also showcased the studio’s internal initiative known as “Extravaganza,” where once a month developers are free to create whatever they wish. One outcome was a playable guitar mechanic that resonated with fans worldwide—so much so that one Brazilian player recorded a Ukrainian folk song in-game as an expression of solidarity.

On launch day, the sheer demand for the 150 GB build overloaded national infrastructure, with Ukrainian internet services reportedly strained for hours as players rushed to download the game.

Successes and Setbacks

The developers summarized their journey in two columns:

Achievements

• Grew to a 500-member team and released the game.

• Preserved the signature atmosphere of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise.

• Shared Ukrainian culture with players worldwide.

• Completed the studio’s most ambitious project to date.

Challenges

• Proved resilience through the pandemic, war, and relocation.

• Wrestled with demanding console optimization.

• Had to make difficult cuts early on when ambition outpaced feasibility.

A Dedication Beyond the Game

The presentation closed with the studio sharing the message written in the game’s ending credits. It was framed as a tribute, underscoring that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is not merely entertainment but also a testament to Ukraine’s spirit of endurance.

The dedication conveys that even in the face of suffering, death, fear, and cruelty, Ukraine endures—and the game is offered to everyone who has defended and continues to defend the nation, with wishes of eternal rest for those lost in the war.

This article was translated from the original that appeared on INVEN.